After Everything That's Happened
by whereswaldo821
Summary: After the war a down trodden Hermione is forced to marry Snape to escape a fate worse than death. Typical Marriage Law fic, but hopefully a good one.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione took one last look in the mirror before she left. Her hair hung limply around her shoulders, her eyes were red and swollen from crying and she appeared to be losing weight. She sighed as she ran her hands over her rib cage. She just couldn't seem to make herself eat. Nothing was satisfying. She glared at her reflection in the mirror. The clothes that she wore were simple and dingy from way too many washings, not to mention baggy and unflattering because of how small she had become in the past year or so. I seemed silly to worry about buying new clothes since the war had ended, not that her paycheck would have allowed her to be too frivolous.

She looked around her dark dank flat one last time. It was very dirty and no matter how many cleansing charms she cast, the thick coast of dust never seemed to rise. It was near a railroad station so every time a train went by, she seemed to get pelted with bits of plaster falling from the ceiling. It was hardly livable. In fact, to the untrained eye it appeared that nobody had set foot in the tiny one bedroom apartment for years. There was a lack of personal belongings, because most of her possessions had been lost in the destruction of her parents home by the hand of the death eaters. The only item in the entire flat that Hermione held dear was a small shoe box, which contained a few small mementos from friends that had been lost in the war, one in particular. Hermione let out a sigh of defeat, then with a small pop apparated to the gates of Hogwarts.

The gates were opened and inviting. She took a deep breath and then began to walk the long and winding pathway up to the Hogwarts Castle. She hadn't stepped foot on these grounds since Dumbledore's funeral. She had decided not to return her seventh year so that she and Ron could help Harry locate and destroy all of the horcruxes. After the war was finally over it had just seemed too painful to finish. However, being a great, war hero had secured her many high ranking and high paying job offers. She declined them all. Instead she took a small, almost unknown job dealing with muggle artifacts, for which she was more than qualified. The benefit of her job was that she could spend her day to day life out of the pubic eye. She didn't have to constantly tell the heroic tale of how Harry saved Voldemort and how the friends she had lost along the way died for a noble cause.

She made her way up the winding dirt path toward the castle with her head bowed against the wind. The grounds looked exactly as they had four years ago. If she strained her ears she could hear a hundred Gryffindors singing the revised version of "Weasley is the King" at the top of they're lungs, and for a brief moment she swore she could see a red headed sixteen year old bobbing between the hoops on one end of the Quiddich pitch. But with the blink of an eye, he was gone and the grounds were just as quiet and empty as ever. She pushed forward, wanting to get this meeting with the headmistress of the school over with quickly and with as little mess as possible.

Once in the castle memories seemed to haunt her at every turn. It was a relief when she finally approached the headmistress's door, even though she was dreading the news she would receive on the other end. She knocked quietly and waited until a stern but familiar voice said "enter."

On the other side of the door Hermione found her favorite professor and former mentor, Minerva McGonagall, sitting at a large desk with a small sign that read 'Headmistress' sitting on top of it.

"Hello Hermione," McGonagall said sternly, but not without concern, as she gestured to a squishy arm chair in front of her.

"Hello Professor," Hermione said cautiously. Then with out haste she added, "So can you help me or not?"

It was only a few days ago that Hermione and ever muggle-born witch for that matter received an official letter from the ministry. A letter that would very likely change all of they're lives permanently.

_Dear Miss Hermione Granger,_

_Due to the unbelievable amount of still births and squib births among pureblood families, not to mention other genetic abnormalities, the ministry must take action. As of today pureblood wizards will be allowed to petition for your hand and marriage. If more than one bids for you, you may choose. If you find none acceptable then you shall be entered to take part in a raffle in which you choose a pureblood wizard at random. Refusal of these marriages will result in the confiscation of your wand and time in Azkaban until either your mind has changed or you perish. Remember that this is for the good of the wizarding community, and the purpose of these unions is to produce strong offspring, so all marriages must be CONSUMATED!!! _

_Good luck to you!_

_Martha Humperdink_

Promptly after receiving this letter four more arrived in the form of petitions from prospective husbands. As it turns out three of her most favorite people were dying to have her hand in marriage, including Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Draco Malfoy. The kicker, however, was that there was also a petition from _Luscious Malfoy_! She promptly wrote to McGonagall in hopes that she would some how be able to pull some strings and get her out of this ridiculous law.

"Unfortunately, Hermione, I didn't accomplish much. I was hoping to cash in on the fact that you are a 'great war hero' and that you had participated in the final battle, but it seems that you have been out of the public eye far to long. It appears that even though you work at the ministry most people had believed you to be dead." She paused briefly. "In fact there really is only on alternative I could think of. We must find a pureblood wizard that can be trusted with you're wellbeing."

"But professor, I don't know any pureblood wizards…" Hermione sighed with defeat, assuming her fate had been sealed.

"Yes, I know. In fact I've been at it for days and really there is only one wizard that could even be considered…" she hesitated, "Severus…"

"Wh-?" Hermione faltered, recognizing her former professor by his first name.

"She means me…" said a harsh voice as a dark figure stepped away from the wall behind Hermione. She hadn't even noticed that he had been there.

"I know, Hermione. I myself would have preferred for you to be with some one closer to your own age. However, the death of Mister Weasley left a lack of descent, eligible pureblooded wizards," she waited for Hermione's answer.

Hermione stared at Professor McGonagall in disbelief, then turned to face her potions master. His hair was longer, he was thinner, and if it was possible, his demeanor seemed colder than she remembered. This was the man she would be married to for the rest of her life. Then she thought of her other prospects Crabbe, Goyle, Draco… and God forbid Luscious. Snape did seem the lesser evil. She sighed in defeat and turned back to Professor McGonagall.

"When will we have to be married?"

"As soon as possible," McGonagall responded, "Basically, in the amount of time it takes to put together a descent sized ceremony. Now I know you two aren't interested in being in the public eye but the ministry wants the first few of these marriages to be very publicized… to make it seem like this is a wonderful idea, and I think it would be a mistake to wait. Hermione, you had some very dangerous wizards petition you and I have a feeling they won't be jumping for joy to find that you have evaded them. The Weasley's have offered their home to you until after the wedding."

_Hermione was lying on a cot in Ginny's room. It seemed as though no matter how much many times she rolled over she just couldn't seem to get comfortable. Perhaps it was the excitement of the day (Bill and Fleur's Wedding) or the uncertainty of tomorrow that kept her awake, but either way it appeared as though no sleep was to be had. She kicked her mess of blankets off the bed and enjoyed the feeling of the warm summer air wash over her._

_She allowed her mind to drift over the events of the day. She worked to memorize every detail, knowing that it would be the last day of pure celebration… at least until Voldemort was defeated. She thought of how lovely Gabrielle and Ginny looked in their pale gold bridesmaid's dresses; even though it was painfully obvious Ginny would rather be wearing Quiddich robes and flying away on a broom somewhere. Fleur was beautiful of course, but the most memorable moment of the entire night was the last dance. Harry and Ginny danced together knowing that it could possibly be the last moment they spent together and after the song had ended they still held each other, wishing the moment would never end. _

_With that thought Hermione wondered if going with Harry would mean that she was marching to her doom. She couldn't stand just laying there any longer. She threw her legs over the side of the bed, when she heard a loud creak outside her door. She grabbed her wand of the nightstand and aimed it at the door. A moment later it opened, revealing a red headed boy wear pajamas that were inches too short. _

"_Nervous?" he smiled eyeing her wand._

"_Just a bit anxious," she whispered._

"_Come with me," he gestured for her to follow him and led her out to the garden. There they found Harry flicking his wand and mumbling under his breath. "Yeah, he's been doing that a lot lately…Oi! Harry!"_

_Startled, Harry jumped up and brandished his wand threateningly. Realizing it was them he lowered it. "Sorry guys, I'm a bit nervous I suppose. I guess I should go inside and try to get some sleep."_

"_Sounds like a good idea," Ron said. "See ya in the morning, mate." With that Harry turned and headed back to the burrow. "You can't really blame him for being afraid," Ron whispered to Hermione. He sat on the ground in the same spot Harry had been sitting moments before._

_She sat down next to him. "Are you afraid?" she whispered._

_He looked at her. "Terrified, actually." He pulled her close. "I'm terrified of losing my family. My friends. Harry…you." With that he brought his lips to hers. It was a short, soft kiss, but it carried with it all the things he had been dying to tell her for six years. "Hermione…I love you. If we live through this I want you to be my wife." He reached inside the pocket of his pajamas and pulled out a small silver object… it was a ring._

That was the last time she had been to the burrow.

"Do I have to go to the burrow? Why can't I just go back to my flat?"

"Hermione, with this marriage you will have angered some very powerful wizards. It isn't safe for you to go back to living alone and I don't think it would be appropriate for you to move into Severus's quarters until after you are married. Till then the Weasley's have offered you their home and their protection. You would be wise to take up on their offer!" She glared at Hermione as if to say that just because she had turned her back on the world didn't mean the world had turned its back on her. "Now, I do believe it's time to sign the papers." McGonagall shoved the paper in Hermione's direction. Hermione signed it without hesitation. Soon after, Hermione found herself being shoved into the fireplace and being flooed to the burrow.

Once she was gone McGonagall turned to Snape. "She didn't seem too thrilled," his voice dripped with venom.

"Severus Snape! Would it have killed you to offer her some words of comfort? Would it have killed you to say anything at all?" Professor McGonagall scolded.

"I agreed to marry her didn't I? It is because of me that she won't have to live as the Malfoy concubine. I think I deserve some credit! This wasn't my choice either!" he shouted.

"Very well," McGonagall sighed. "I know this is something of an inconvenience for you… but you may do well to remember that you will be spending the rest of your days in her company. With this in mind," McGonagall handed him a book that had been sitting on her desk, "it would probably be a good idea to put forth a bit of effort."

"Courting Rituals of Muggles?" he read. "You must be joking."

"You should know, Severus, that I rarely joke… and this is no joking matter. You may find that making things easier on Hermione may make things a bit easier on you as well. You may go now.

Severus glared at her and with a huff headed for the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione landed in a heap on the Weasley's living room floor, coughing and sputtering from the ashes. She barely had time to register where she was before the overly motherly Mrs. Weasley scooped her up in her arms.

"Oh my dear! Look how thin you are. I will make you something to eat straight away! Oh sweetheart you look so tired! Don't worry, we will set you up in one of the boy's old rooms and then you can have a nice long rest! Ginny! GINNY! COME HELP HERMIONE!" Mrs. Weasley called.

"I'm right here, Mother," a dull voice said from the doorway. When Hermione looked up she saw Ginny leaning against the door frame. Ginny looked so different. Like Hermione she appeared to have lost a significant amount of weight in the three years they had been apart, her long, shining red hair had lost most of it's shine and it was hacked off at her chin, and her features had changed from soft and lovely to cold and hard. "C'mon, I'll show you where you'll be staying."

Hermione followed Ginny up the stairs. As she walked through the house she noticed that the house looked exactly as it had years ago. It even smelt the same. The only difference was it seemed…empty. She was used to the cramped, comfortable feeling of being surrounded by Weasley's at the burrow and the lack of family members made it feel oddly…quiet. "Ginny, are you still living at the home?"

Ginny turned and arched her eyebrow. She seemed almost annoyed. "Yes. I'm going through Auror training and unfortunately I won't have any income until I become certified. Mum and Dad are helping me out till then." She quickly turned and continued the journey up the stairs.

"Wow!" Hermione said stunned. Ginny an Auror?!? She never knew she was so ambitious! "That must be exciting! What is Auror training like?"

"Look Hermione! I'm really not in the mood to do this." Ginny snapped.

"Do what?" Hermione asked, slightly startled.

"Pretend that we're friends."

"Ginny… We are friends!" Hermione stuttered.

"Really? Were we friends when you Harry and Ron ran away to go fight Voldemort and left me here alone, wondering if I would ever see any of you ever again? After Ron died, was it through an act of friendship that you didn't visit, or even write. It has been three years since I've even heard from you. Face it Hermione! We are NOT friends! I don't even know you any more. And you certainly don't know me!" By this time her face was inches from Hermione's face. "Whatever. You're staying in Fred and George's old room. You know where it is." With that Ginny retreated down the stairs.

A week after their fight on the stairs, things were still fairly icy between Hermione and Ginny. Although they saw each other at every meal they had hardly spoke three words at a time, and these words usually were along the lines of "Pass the butter." Meanwhile, it seemed as though Mrs. Weasley's goal in life was to fatten Hermione up. This morning as Hermione examined herself in the mirror she noticed a little more meat was placed on her curves. She appeared to be a lot healthier, and some color had returned to her face. This may also have to do with the amount of rest she had been getting. Since her marriage contract had been signed, the ministry had insisted on giving her time off to plan her wedding. However, she spent more time sleeping than thinking about flower arrangements and chicken or beef.

"Hermione, dear an owl's just arrived for you." Mrs. Weasley called from downstairs.

Hermione took one more look in the mirror, then quietly walked made way to the kitchen, where she saw a large noble looking barn owl. She took the letter from his claws and rewarded him with a bit of toast from the pile of food placed at her seat at the kitchen table. The letter had a Hogwarts seal.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I have arranged for the wedding to take place two weeks from today, on Dec. 31. There is no need to worry about planning the ceremony or reception, I'll take care of the whole thing, of course, your input is more than welcome. However, I will leave it to you to get a wedding dress. I'm happy to hear you've been given time off work to prepare for your wedding. You deserve a good long rest._

_Professor McGonagall_

Hermione sighed. So a date had been set. It appeared as though she wasn't going to be able to get out of this one. It occurred to her that she hadn't even spoken to Professor Snape since their meeting in McGonagall's office. She wondered if she would even see him before the ceremony. With this thought she began to nibble at the eggs in front of her.

"Now Hermione, you want to hurry up and eat before everything gets cold," Mrs. Weasley said sweetly.

Hermione smiled but couldn't manage to make herself eat ay faster. Fortunately, another owl arrived moments later, providing her with a sufficient distraction from the mountain of food she was expected to consume.

Ginny gave the owl a treat and then passed the letter to her. "It's for you, Hermione."

_Miss Granger,_

_I expect that Professor McGonagall has informed you of the date of our wedding. Seeing as we will shortly be married I believe that we should take some time to get better acquainted. I will collect you at six o'clock tomorrow evening_

_Severus Snape_

_p.s. I intend on taking you to a more formal function and expect you to dress accordingly._

Hermione was both insulted and distressed at this letter. The way it was worded was very cold and formal. It seemed as though he was writing to a child. And the thought of going out in public on Severus Snape's arm, as if they were a normal engaged couple was horrifying. Not to mention she didn't own anything appropriate for a "formal function" and didn't know if she had enough money to pay for something suitable. Ginny took notice of her change in mood almost immediately.

"What was in the letter?" she asked politely.

"It's from Professor Snape. He wants to… I guess go on a date."

Ginny nearly sprayed orange juice out of her nose, she was laughing so hard. "I can't even picture that!"

Hermione was slightly relieved that Ginny was talking to her but still miserable at the thought of spending an entire evening with her former potions master. "He wants to take me to something more formal… and I have nothing that would be appropriate." Hermione sighed.

Ginny looked at her thoughtfully. "I think I may have something that might work." She offered.

"Oh Ginny! That would be a load off my mind! Thank you!" Hermione was so relieved, but she was still nervous. She had never really been on a date, not to mention her first date was with her ex-potions master!?! He had to be a least 20 years her senior, and she was expected to converse with him? Not to mention, after the wedding she would have to gulp make love with him. She couldn't force herself to eat another bite.

The next night Snape could be found struggling with his tie. He had already tied and untied three times, growing more and more unsatisfied with his appearance. That book of McGonagall's was certainly no help in easing his nerves. Sure, it had given him an idea of something to do with Hermione, something that wouldn't make the date appear as if he weren't making and effort, nor as if he were actually pretending as though they were a smitten affianced coupled, but it was suitable. However, the book constantly reminded him how young muggle women appreciated handsome young men, and unfortunately, he thought as he scrutinized his reflection, he was neither handsome nor young. He sighed in defeat.

Actually he didn't look too bad. As he was no longer the potions master he was no longer exposed to the toxic fumes that tended to make his hair greasy and limp. He was wearing black, of course, but the color seemed to suite him and because he had finally given up on the tie he had the open collar look, which looked becoming on most wizards. He checked his clock and took note that within five minutes he would be expected to apparate to the Burrow.

He quickly poured himself a glass of brandy. He had never been much a drinker but he figured he would soon need it.

Ginny had given up being cross with Hermione so that she could help get her ready for her date with Snape. When Ginny pulled out the dress that Hermione would wear, Hermione's jaw dropped. It was a long slinky black dress, that would hug Hermione's body, exaggerating her curves. Not to mention it was low cut and had a quality about it that would lift Hermione's breasts and make it appear that she had cleavage. Of course Hermione had gained weight in all the right places since she had entered the Weasley's house, but she was still quite thin, and needed all the help she could get.

Hermione gaped at herself. "Ginny are you sure this is suitable?"

"Yeah, of course. It's the kind of dress that never goes out of style, and it looks fabulous on you!" She said as she battled with Hermione's hair.

"But I feel as though I'm… on display," Hermione stammered.

"Don't be stupid. That's the whole point. Besides, if you want him to stop treating you as a child, he needs to see you as a woman." Ginny replied. Hermione was beginning to regret showing Ginny the note.

"Ginny, what kind of a function did you wear this dress to?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Oh…ummm, I had to go to some kind of ceremonial thing with Harry… right after the war ended." Ginny said hesitantly.

"Oh how is Harry?" Hermione asked. She hadn't even spoken to Harry since the final battle.

"I don't really speak to him any more," Ginny said quickly. "There you're all ready to go!" Some how Ginny had made Hermione's hair behave enough to pull it into an elegant french twist and the small amount of makeup she applied hid the paleness of Hermione's face, and made her look calm and collected instead of terrified.

Moments later Hermione heard a knock on the door downstairs. She took a deep breath and headed down the stairs. When she reached the bottom she saw Professor Snape talking politely with Mrs. Weasley with his back toward her.

"Oh Hermione dear, you look absolutely wonderful!" Mrs. Wealsey mused.

With that Snape turned around and faced Hermione. She certainly looked different than she had merely a week ago. She looked… healthier, to say the least. Still thin… but definitely curvier, he thought. He swallowed the lump in his throat and walked toward her. Taking her hand he mumbled, "You look lovely, Miss Granger…" before placing a polite kiss on it.

Ginny snickered from the top of the stairs and Hermione felt a blush creep to her face. "Ummmm… thank you professor," she whispered.

"Shall we go then?" He asked.

To Hermione's delight, they apparated to the theatre district of Muggle London. She loved the theatre district. It was always so pretty, especially around the holidays. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the title of the show they were going to. "The Nutcracker?" she asked, looking to him for confirmation.

"Yes. I heard it was a muggle classic," he stated as he led her to her seat.

Although he didn't enjoy the ballet ( he thought the idea of dancing rats and sugar plum fairies the be ludicrous and childish) Hermione seemed to love it. He sighed to himself. Her manner was very…. polite. He couldn't blame her, the situation was very awkward after all, and it wasn't as if he was acting all warm and fuzzy. As the exited the theatre a mass of photographers and reporters practically assaulted them at the door. Thinking they had mistaken them for some famous muggle couple he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close, quickly leading her away from the crowd.

Once they were out of sight he released her. "I wondered if you would like to come back to my place for a cup of tea." She arched her eyebrow. "I would like to show you were you will be living."

"I've been to Hogwarts," she stated matter of factually.

He smirked at her, "I am no longer a professor. I don't live in the castle." He wrapped his arms around her waist and with a pop they had landed in front of a small brick house. When he opened the door Hermione was astonished by the wall to wall bookshelves. In fact they covered almost every inch of wall space except for a staircase and two doors. The furnishings included a threadbare sofa, an old armchair, and a rickety table. Hermione noted that the room had a feeling of a dark, padded cell.

"I know it seems a bit… basic, but I hadn't expected to be accommodating any one besides myself…if this living situation doesn't suite you…"

"No! No, I'm sure it will be fine," she said, easing herself onto the sofa. Actually, compared to the flat she had been living in, this was a paradise.

With a wave of his hand and a snap of his fingers the candle sitting on the table was lit, and illuminating the room quite nicely and a tea service was placed on a small coffee table in front of Hermione. "Tea?" he asked politely. Without waiting for an answer he poured her a cup and handed it to her.

"Thank you," she said, "If you aren't a professor any more, what do you do?"

"I work in the auror office at the ministry," he smirked at the expression on her face, "Don't look so surprised, Miss Granger, don't you think assisting The Order of the Phoenix in the fall of the Dark Lord qualifies me to train young men and women to conquer lesser evils?

After those words were spoken an awkward and unbreakable silence seemed to fall upon them. They both sipped their tea quietly.

"Would you like a tour?" Severus asked, desperate to end the awkwardness between them.

"Yes, please," Hermione nodded, grateful that the silence seemed to have ended.

"Well," he said, taking her hand, "That door leads to my bed room, and that one leads to the kitchen. Now upstairs…" he put his hand on the small of her back guiding her up the steep and creaky old staircase. Once at the top of the stairs they entered a long dark hallway. "I hardly ever come up here any more, so please excuse the dust. The door on the right is my old laboratory, and the one on the left…" he paused opening the door, "is your room."

"My room?" she asked curiously.

"Of course," he waved his hand, lighting the sconces. "Unfortunately I wasn't sure how to decorate it. So if it doesn't suite you feel free to change anything you like."

In all respects, the room was lovely. Especially compared the rest of the house. A large mahogany four poster bed was positioned against one wall. It was covered with a large, soft lace comforter that had once belonged to Severus's mother. It was fairly dark, but there was a large window that would lighten up the room during the day. There were also two lovely mahogany bookshelves.

"I knew that you were fond of reading so I figured you might need a place to store your books."

Hermione hesitated. "Actually, my books were destroyed at my parent's house… during the war."

"Oh… right," Severus recalled that her parents had been among the first muggles to die. "Well… you are more than welcome to help yourself to my collection. Well… it's getting late…Mrs. Weasly must be worried about you."

"Oh right," Hermione echoed as Severus led her back downstairs toward the fireplace.

He took her hand in his and placed a polite and chaste kiss on it. "I hope to see you soon, Miss Granger." He tossed some floo powder into the fireplace and helped her in before shouting "The Burrow" into the fire.

Severus sighed in relief. She was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hello Lucius. Brandy?" Severus smirked. He had expected to hear from Lucius long before this. "Help yourself."

"No thank you Severus. Actually, I came by to offer you my congratulations," he tossed a newspaper onto the coffee table.

"What is that?" Severus asked indifferently as he poured himself another brandy.

"Tomorrow's Daily Prophet. I thought it might peak your interest"

Severus peered at the newspaper. Sure enough the title of the main story was "Marriage Law Huge Success" and it was accompanied by a picture of Hermione and himself, his arms wrapped protectively around her waist.

Lucius picked up the paper and began to read out loud. "Severus Snape has been in love with Hermione Granger since they assisted the famous Harry Potter in the final battle against Voldmort. Snape, however, never dreamed that the young and talented Miss Granger could ever feel for him the way he felt for her. With the passing of the controversial marriage law, he finally gained the courage to ask for her hand." He turned to Severus. "How romantic. Personally, I never thought you to be a marrying man, Severus."

Severus chuckled, "Well, that is definitely sensationalism."

"But it's true? You are engaged?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact… I am," Severus gloated.

"I was surprised when I first heard the news," Lucius scoffed, "but upon second glance, she does seem to be your type. Feisty, wild hair, a bit thin…but her stay at the Weasley's ought to take care of that… and virginal too, no doubt?"

Severus was shocked and alarmed that Lucius knew of Hermione's ware bouts, but he covered it up nicely. "I really wouldn't know about that…"

"Severus," Lucius scolded, "Buying a broom without taking it for a ride? Very unlike you. Please don't tell me that you are buying into these romantic notions of waiting till the wedding night…. or has she refused you?

"I don't see how my physical relationship with **_my_** fiancée is any of your business," Severus stated coldly.

"Ahhhh, so she has? The Severus Snape I know wouldn't tolerate that sort of behavior!" Lucius chuckled. He returned his gaze to the picture of Hermione on the front page of the newspaper, "She is a lovely creature. I can just imagine how much fun it would be to break her," he bit his _lip_ as if imagining it, "Would you permit me to have my own fun with her?"

"She is my _property_ Lucius!" Severus hissed.

"There is the Severus I know and love!" Lucius laughed haughtily. "You were always so selfish when it came to your playthings," then sighing with remorse, as if losing something he truly wanted, he added, "Pity. Well there is nobody better to tame this mudblood wench than you. Once again, I offer you my congratulations, and I look forward to celebrating your wedding." With those parting words Lucius gave Severus a small bow and stepped back into the fire.

Severus leaned his head back against the sofa and sighed. "What have I gotten myself into?"

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Once again Hermione found herself landing in a heap on the Weasley's living room floor.

"Why Hermione Granger! Out so late? You had me worried sick," Ginny said in a mocking voice. "Here," she said handing Hermione a cup of cocoa, "I want details."

Hermione took a small sip of the cocoa and began to tell of Snape taking her to the muggle ballet. "It was all so….polite. I don't really think we made much progress."

Ginny looked at her with sympathy. "Well, he did take the time to think of something that you may enjoy. That's something, isn't it?"

"Yes, but he also took the time to show me that I am to have my own bedroom. It appears that neither of us have much hope for this marriage," Hermione sighed.

"Hermione, it's an awkward situation. He probably wanted you to know that he doesn't intend to take advantage."

Hermione nodded in agreement. "I suppose so… I think I should get to bed."

"Goodnight Hermione. Don't worry, it will all work out."

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Severus woke with a start, his heart racing trying to catch his breath. Lucius had a habit of bring back terrible memories. He could still see the faces of the women he had terrorized – muggle and witch. He could still hear their screams. It was hard to believe that the screams that haunted his dreams, had once made him feel mightier than kings.

He sighed. It had all started with Lilly Evans…

_In a world that had been cruel to Severus Snape, Lilly was a breath of fresh air. He could hardly believe that the smartest, most beautiful witch in school chose to be with him, to come to his bed…instead of choosing a more handsome wizard. _

_He could still remember the way she tasted. Her moans of pleasure as he licked her slick folds, the way she would call his name as he plunged his tongue into her core, and the way her toes would curl when she reached her peak. _

_The last dalliance they had was engraved in his memory. If he had known those would be the last moments in which Lilly would be his he would have savored it. But it was during the week of the O.W.L.S., and they both had a lot more studying to do._

"_Oh Sev...," she purred, running her fingers through his hair as he kissed his way back up her stomach. _

_His tongue traced the valley in between her luscious breasts. Oh how he loved her breasts. He remembered how he took her nipple in between his fore finger and his thumb and pinched her as he plunged his tongue inside her mouth. He enjoyed the hiss of pain and pleasure she made against his mouth. He then brushed a loose hair out of her face._

"_Your so lovely, Lilly," he murmured, kissing her temple._

_She chuckled, "There is no need for flattery, Severus. You already have me."_

_He smirked. "Yes, it appears that I do," He said as he ran his hand back down to her core, rubbing her entrance._

_She rested her head against the pillows and let out a sigh of contentment. He then brought his fingers to his lips, licking them with desire. He laid down next to her, resting his hand on her soft belly. _

"_We should probably go back to studying," he said reluctantly._

"_But you don't really want to, do you?"_

_He smiled at her. Not a smirk, a genuine smile. "No, I don't."_

"_Good. I don't want to either!" she giggled as she rolled towards him and began kissing his neck playfully. She then slowly began to unbutton his collar._

"_Lilly, that's not necessary," he said. _

_Severus had lived his entire life in fear. His father was a large, terrifying man with a temper and an alcohol problem who enjoyed striking fear into those weaker than he was. In his eyes his only son was nothing more than a weak link. As a child he was a thin sickly boy who drained his parents small income on doctors and medical treatments. It was even worse when Severus began to exhibit magical powers, much like his FREAK mother. Starting at the age of five, Severus was beaten regularly which resulted in his entire torso to be covered with thin, white scars… not to mention a few burns. Because of this Severus had made sure that Lilly had never seen him naked. He didn't want to disgust her. _

"_No, Severus. I want to," she continued to pull at his buttons._

"_Stop it, Lilly," he said firmly, but she continued to ignore him. "I said STOP!" He pushed her away, but because her hands where still entangled in his robes, they tore, exposing his disfigured chest._

_He attempted to cover himself, but it was too late. He glared at her with a look of venom. He could see something behind her eyes. Disgust? No. Amusement? No. Fear? No. Pity? Yes, that was it. "I will no be pitied," he thought to himself._

"_Get out Lilly," He said turning his back to her._

"…_Severus? I…" she stammered._

"_I said GET OUT!!!"_

_She threw her robes on and fled the room sobbing. The following day was the day of there Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L., the day that Harry Potter witnessed in the pensive in his fifth year._

He glared at his reflection in his bathroom mirror. He was even more marred than he had been at fifteen, thanks to his service under the Dark Lord. How could he think that a young witch could be satisfied spending the rest of her days with a grumpy, broken old man.

"It's too late to turn back now," he sighed to himself.

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_She and Ron and Harry were running through a dark wooded area, the air thick with mist and no light to be seen, except the light from their wands._

"_Dementors," Harry observed, acknowledging the mist._

_Hermione's breath caught in her throat as they approached a dark castle. The headquarters of Voldemort. This was it. They had destroyed all the horcruxes, all that was left was to kill the man, or what was left of his soul. _

_They entered the castle only to find it… empty. "Where is everyone?" Ron asked to nobody in particular._

"_They are gone," said a cold voice, dripping with venom. A dark figure stepped out of the corner, a look of triumph on his face. It was Severus Snape._

"_You!" Harry exclaimed, "Avada Kadavra!"_

_Snape side stepped the spell quite gracefully. "Expelliarmus!" He shouted with furry. The trio's wands all flew from their hands. "Now, Potter, the one you seek is upstairs…alone. He won't be for long, so I suggest you gather you wands and complete the task you were born to achieve…unless you would prefer to accuse me of crimes that you don't understand."_

"_YOU KILLED DUMBLEDORE!!!" Harry screamed._

"_Yes, but you couldn't begin to understand why. No get going!" he hissed gesturing to their wands on the floor. Harry, Ron, and Hermione hesitantly picked up their wands. "What are you waiting for? GO!"_

_After navigating their way through the winding passages of the Death Eater's palace, they came to a large chamber. It was dark except for a few sconces that illuminated the room just slightly. Against one wall there was a large ornate throne. There was an eerie presence, as if the souls of the muggles who had been killed there still lingered._

"_I've been here… in my dreams," Harry whispered, "Well… where is he!?!"_

"_He's right behind you," a cold hard voice hissed. They turned around and there he was…Lord Voldemort. "You've found me, Potter! Now… what do you intend to do with me!" He laughed haughtily as the trio back up slowly. "Pity… I had expected more of a fight. What shall I do to inspire you? Ah I know – CRUCIO!!!"_

_With a scream of anguish Ron fell to the ground and began to shake and spasm uncontrollably, all the while screaming in pain. _

"_RON!" Hermione screamed, running to his side._

"_Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted, brandishing his wand at Voldemort. The spell wasn't enough to knock the wand out of Volemort's grasp but it was enough to falter his concentration and lift the torture curse off of Ron._

_Voldemort smirked. "So like you, Potter! Always putting your friends before yourself. It will be the end of you, you know... and as it turns out…it will also be the end of them." With these words he pointed his wand directly at Hermione. "AVADA KADAVRA!" He screamed viciously._

_Hermione found her feet glued to the floor, unable to move. Before she knew it she realized that Ron had thrown himself in front of her, and it was he that was hit with the curse. "NOOOOOO!!!" she screamed. He landed on the ground right next to her, all the light gone from his eyes. She threw herself on top of him sobbing._

"_Young love," Voldemort scolded, "Pity…"_

"_Avada Kavara!" Another voice said with malice. Hermione looked up, expecting to see a flash of green light coming towards her, but to her surprise, all she was Voldemort laying on the ground, as dead as a doornail. Laughter was still plastered on his face. A figure then moved out of the shadows…Snape, it was he that cast the killing curse._

"_You had better leave before the death eaters get here. No doubt they will sense that the Dark Lord has been killed," he said helping Hermione to her feet. Then turning to Harry he said, "Don't tell anyone that it was I who killed the Dark Lord. Let the public have their hero."_

_Harry nodded in agreement, wrapping his arms around Hermione's waist and apparating them away._

Hermione woke covered in sweat. She couldn't even count the number of times that she had dreamed of that night. No matter what she did she couldn't shake the image of Ron's blank eyes staring up at her. She tossed the covers off of her and threw her legs over the side of the bed, crawling onto the floor and reaching for her belongings. She opened her old tattered show box and rifled around through the letters and pictures until she found it… her engagement ring.

She slipped it on her finger and watched the diamond twinkle in the moonlight. "Oh Ron!" She sobbed.

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At 3 a.m. on this cold dark night, Harry Potter could be found, once again, at his desk. Since the final battle he had thrown himself into his work. After his best friends death and severing ties with Hermione and the whole Weasley family, he just couldn't seem to face the fact that he was completely and utterly alone.

So here he sat, night after night, hardly remembering to eat and often collapsing onto his desk out of exhaustion. His once unruly hair had actually began to lie flat, as if it too was exhausted, his eyes had heavy bags underneath them, and his skin was pale from lack of sunlight.

He sighed as his stomach began to grumble. He reached into his desk and pulled out a corned beef sandwich, which of course reminded him of Ron. He chewed slowly, hardly tasting the lump of food in his mouth.

His thoughts were interrupted by a light pecking on his window. He looked up to see a noble looking owl outside his window. He opened the window letting the poor creature in, and he didn't mind it a bit when it nipped at the sandwich lying on his desk. He took the bundle from the owl. It was tomorrow's daily profit. The title read "Marriage Law Huge Success" and was accompanied by a picture of… Hermione? Hermione with…. Snape?!? He quickly read through the article, crumpled it up and threw it away.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning Hermione woke to some one knocking on her door. She quickly ripped the ring off her finger and returned it to the box under her bed. "Come in!" she called.

Ginny opened the door. "Hermione! Get up! Snape is downstairs!" She said with urgency. Then she paused and added. "God Hermione, you look awful! Did you get any sleep last night?"

"No, not really. What is he doing here?"

"No idea, but you had better hurry and get dressed. He doesn't look too happy."

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Severus was seated at the Weasley's kitchen table drumming his fingers impatiently. Molly had put a plate, piled high with pancakes, in front of him but he just couldn't seem to find his appetite. He sighed with irritation. After the meeting with Lucius last night, Severus owled McGonagall in hopes that she would be able to find alternative housing for Hermione, unfortunately, she said that it would probably be best if Hermione just went ahead and moved in with him.

"Professor?"

Snape looked toward the door way to see Hermione. She was slightly pale and her eyes were red and puffy. 'It appears as if I'm not the only one to have had a bad nights sleep' he thought to himself.

"Miss Granger," he said, as he stood up and pulled out a chair for her.

Molly quickly put a plate in front of Hermione. Hermione glared at the pancakes with distaste. She really couldn't bring herself to shovel the pancakes dripping with syrup into her mouth. Instead, she poked them with her fork.

"Hermione dear, you need to eat something!" Molly chided.

Hermione nodded. Then looking at Snape she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"… yes… well… it appears as though Lucius knows where you are. The headmistress… and I…. we both feel that it would be foolish for you to stay here. The headmistress thought that the only suitable choice… would be for you to go ahead and move in… with me…." He held his breath as he awaited her answer.

Hermione sighed. She figured that it would be something like that. "When should I be over?"

Severus had to admit, he was surprised. He had expected there to be tears, accusations, plates being thrown at the walls, but there was none of that. "Well… anytime that's convenient for you."

"I can be ready in five minutes," she said, beginning to rise from her chair.

"No, I think you should probably finish your breakfast first," he said with concern. When she looked at him with an arched eyebrow he added, "I'm a terrible cook. I doubt you'll be eating like this for a long time." 'Okay, that's a lie.' He thought to himself. 'But she is definitely too thin.'

Hermione eased herself back into her chair and began to shovel the pancakes into her mouth. Severus watched in amazement. "Have you found a wedding dress yet?" he asked.

Hermione paused. She had completely forgotten that McGonagall had told her that she was responsible for finding her own wedding dress. "Ummmm… actually, no I haven't." In reality, she didn't think she could even afford one. She wasn't flushed with cash.

Severus, being a talented Occlumens, was very perceptive. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small sack of gold. "Tell you what. You go by yourself a dress today. Meet me at my place tonight for dinner." With that he got up from the table and began to make his way to the living room fireplace.

"Professor, I can't take this!" Hermione objected.

"Miss Granger, you will soon be my wife. It is my responsibility to provide for you."

Ginny witnessed the entire scene from the kitchen. As soon as Snape left she ran into the dining room. "Hermione, you have to let me go with you!"

Hermione glared at the sack of coins on the table. Did he expect her to be his darling little house wife that needed to be taken care of? Ugghhh! Sure, she did have to struggle to make ends meet, but she didn't plan on having any one take care of her.

"Hermione? Hermione!"

"What?" Hermione asked.

"You are letting me go with you to pick out a dress, right? I mean, no offense but you're just slightly clueless when it comes to this stuff…" Ginny said.

"Yeah, sure. When do you think we should head out?"

"Well… now! If your ready." said Ginny impatiently.

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After a long day of shopping with Ginny, the only thing Hermione wanted to do was get into a nice hot bath. Shopping wasn't something Hermione enjoyed under good circumstances, but knowing that she was shopping for a dress to wear for a wedding that she wished wouldn't take place put a slight damper on the entire day. Not that listening to Ginny criticize every dress in the muggle dress shop would have been exciting under any circumstances. She did, however, manage to find a dress suitable for the occasion.

After stepping out of the fireplace and into Snape's living room, she realized he wasn't there and made her way upstairs to her bedroom to unpack. It was hard to believe that this would soon be her home, that within a few days time she would be Hermione Snape, and that she would be expected to gulp perform her wifely duties. 'Maybe it won't be so bad' she tried to convince herself, as she hung her dress up in the closet. She sighed, 'People used to live through arranged marriages all the time. This is… sort of similar, isn't it?'

Just then the door to her room opened. It was Snape. "There is dinner waiting downstairs," he said. She nodded solemnly. He put his hand on the small of her back, guiding her down the stairs.

When they made it to the living room Hermione's senses were overpowered. The smell of beef stew was so strong and heavenly that her mouth started watering. It was the first time in a long that Hermione actually had an appetite.

"Professor -?" Hermione questioned.

"Actually, I think that, since we are to be married soon… and especially since we are now living together, you should get used to calling me Severus," he said as he led her to the table.

"Oh… ummmm… okay, Severus," she hesitated, testing his name on her lips, "I though you said that you couldn't cook."

Severus smirked. "I may have fibbed a little." He watched as she brought her spoon to her lips, taking a small taste of her stew. "Good?" he asked.

Hermione nodded. "Yes… very."

"So…" he said, determined to fight the awkward silence, "Did you find a dress?"

"… yes…" she hesitated.

Severus could feel that there was some thing bothering her. "Are you feeling alright, Miss Granger?"

"Hermione. If we are to be married you should call me Hermione…" Once again she hesitated.

"Okay… Hermione. Is there something on your mind?"

"Ummm…it was very nice of you to give me money for the dress… but… I hope you don't think that you to have to take care of me… I intend on keeping my job… even after we're married…"

He nodded in understanding. "Miss – Hermione…. I never meant to imply that I wanted you to be a house wife. I realize how independent you are. That's one of the reasons I accepted McGonagall's offer to begin with. I knew that you weren't going to be some wishy washey little girl, with nothing to do but spend my money and wait for me to come home. Judging by the girls I had the pleasure of teaching at Hogwarts, that would have been my future, had I not excepted you."

"Oh…" Hermione said with surprise. "Okay, then." She couldn't be entirely sure, but she suspected that there had to have a compliment in there some where.

As he watched her return to eating her soup, Severus stroked his chin in thought. Lucius was right. She certainly was a lovely creature. She didn't look nearly as exhausted as she had that morning, her lovely mess of curls framed her face beautifully, and her stay at the Wealsey's had definitely helped to fill her out a bit. She did seem to be his type. He found himself wondering what else Lucius was right about. Was she virginal?

Hermione felt his intense gaze fixed on her. "Is something wrong?"

"Actually…I have something that I should probably ask you before the wedding."

"What is it?" she asked with suspicion.

"I was wondering if you were still… intact." He had hoped to ask her in the least scandalous way possible.

"Intact?"

"Yes… are you still… virtuous?

Hermione coughed in surprise. For a moment Severus was convinced that she was going to scream at him… but she didn't.

Using Occlumency, he could see the face of young Ronald Weasley drift to the front of her mind.

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_It was the night before the final battle. They had finally found the last of the horcruxes. They had traced Slytherin's locket to the owner of the Hog's Head. It had been at 12 Grimmauld Place when Harry had arrived there for the first time. In fact, Harry could vaguely recall seeing it as they purged the house of all the Back Family memorabilia. However, it also turned out to be one of the many artifacts that Mundungus Fletcher had stolen after Sirius's death. The owner of the Hog's Head was more than happy to turn it over when he was told that he had a piece of Voldemort's soul inside his pocket. He even let them stay in one of the rooms upstairs._

_Hermione collapsed on the bed. The room stank of ale, but they were all too tired and preoccupied to care. _

"_You know," Harry hesitated, giving Ron a knowing look, "I'm going to go downstairs for a while."_

"_Are you sure, Harry?" Hermione asked. "You could probably do with some sleep."_

"_Ummm… yeah. I don't think I could sleep, even if I wanted to." With that he backed out of the door way and headed back downstairs._

_Hermione laid her head back on the pillow. Although it smelt like feet, the material felt good against her skin. It had been forever since she had slept in a proper bed… well, if you could call it a proper bed. _

_Ron crawled into bed next to her and placed a small kiss on her forehead. "It's almost over," he said. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. Her back pressed against chest._

_She sighed in contentment. "Yeah, it's almost over."_

_He entwined his fingers in hers, admiring the ring on her left hand. "Then we can finally be together."_

_She hesitated slightly. "We're together now."_

"_Yeah," he smiled, "I guess we are."_

_It was about this time that Hermione noticed something hard pressing into her back. She turned her head and looked at Ron._

"_Sorry," he said breaking eye contact with her. Even in the dark Hermione could see him blushing._

"_No, it's okay," Hermione said rolling towards him. _

_He smiled at her with relief and then pressed his lips against hers. He coaxed her mouth open and then began to explore it with his tongue as he pulled her to him, his growing erection now pressed against her belly._

_Hermione's heart thumped with anticipation. Her hands found their way under his shirt and began rubbing his back. He broke their kiss briefly to take off his shirt. Smirking slightly he returned to Hermione's mouth. She ran her hands over his chest and abdomen, mentally admiring his taut muscles, given to him from the past two years of playing quiddich and the past year of battling death eaters._

_Ron hesitated slightly, daring himself to take things a step further. He tugged at the bottom of Hermione's tank top, lifting it over her head. He was pleasantly surprised to discover that she wasn't wearing a bra. She suddenly became very self-conscious. She was all too aware of where Ron was directing his gaze, but he smiled, kissing her tenderly on her neck as he began to awkwardly massage one of her breasts. He kissed his way down to the valley in between them and then decided to take initiative. He slowly traced his tongue around her nipple and watched with glee as it peaked and elicited a moan of pleasure from Hermione._

_It wasn't long before Hermione felt a warm sensation between her legs. At first it was pleasant, but soon she craved Ron's touch there as well. She reached between their bodies, pushing her cotton pajama pants and knickers down her thighs. Ron looked at her slightly confused, but he helped her pull her clothing the rest of the way down her legs, then tossed them carelessly onto the floor. Slowly, he brought his hand up to her mound, allowing his fingers to gently caress her entrance. As he brought his fingers to his lips, tasting her sweet juices, he was thoroughly surprised that he had caused such excitement in her._

_He took a deep breath and then asked, "I was wondering… do you want to…?" He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence, but he didn't need to. Hermione understood exactly what he wanted. She nodded her encouragement._

_Still surprised, with shaking hands Ron quickly began to unfasten his jeans, kicking them and his boxers, off his legs and onto the floor. He then eased himself onto Hermione, fearing that his weight would crush her. He kissed her deeply as his member searched for her entrance. Once he found it he looked her in the eyes, searching for permission. Again she nodded and smiled._

_He smiled back, still not entirely believing this was really happening. Then, a little too enthusiastically, with one quick movement he thrust inside her. He felt himself meet resistance and rip through it as Hermione cried out in pain. He mentally cursed himself._

"_I'm so sorry," he murmured, kissing her neck._

_Hermione nodded her head, "Keep going."_

_Ron looked at her reluctantly and began to pump in and out of her at a slow and steady pace. She lay back forcing herself to relax. The initial pain turned into a dull throbbing and then slowly became pleasurable. She let out a small moan of encouragement. Ron took this as a sign and began to pump harder. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he traced light kisses down her neck and onto her breasts. _

_He took hold of her hips and angled them upward, trying to get a better angle. He didn't think he could on much longer and he was determined to make her come first. It wasn't long before he felt her body clench down on his member as she approached her climax. Hearing her breath quicken and her moans increase nearly sent him over the edge. _

"_Oh Ron!" She screamed as she reached her peak._

_He finally let go, allowing his seed to spill inside of her. As he came down from his own orgasm he collapsed on top of her. _

_She sighed with contentment, running her fingers through his ginger colored hair. "I love you, Ron," She whispered._

"_I love you, too," he said. It was still hard for him to believe that she would be his… for the rest of their lives. _

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She bowed her head. "No…. I'm not," she said mournfully.


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of dinner was spent in an awkward, unbreakable silence. Severus couldn't decide if he was disappointed in discovering the state of Hermione's virtue, or relieved. Disappointed that he wouldn't be the first to touch her… or relieved that that small bit of awkwardness would be avoided. Hermione had quickly finished her meal, then after bidding Severus goodnight she headed up the stairs to her room and hadn't made a peep since.

Severus sighed and rolled over. Ever since Lucius's visit he hadn't been able to sleep. Whenever he closed his eyes he saw nothing but the faces of the women who had been his playthings in his days as a death eater. He finally accepted the fact that he would be getting no sleep again tonight and got out of bed. 'Maybe a brandy will settle my nerves,' he thought to himself, making his way to the living room.

He swallowed the liquid in one gulp. As he began to drink it more and more it seemed to take effect slower than it had previously. 'I'll have to pick up something a bit stronger if I'm going to make it through this.' He started to pour himself another glass when he noticed something on the floor near the fire place. He put the glass down and approached the object with curiosity.

It was a book. The Fountainhead was clearly printed on the cover. 'It's not one of mine,' Severus thought to himself. 'But I thought Hermione said she didn't have any books.' He half heartedly flipped through the pages.

It was about this time that he heard a small creak on the stairs. He looked up to see a surprised Hermione eyeing the book in hands nervously. She was wearing some cute cotton shorts, which showed off her lovely long legs, and a white spaghetti strap shirt.

"I'm sorry Pro- Severus. I didn't mean to leave my things lying around," she said nervously.

'The poor girl,' he thought to himself. 'She looks utterly terrified of me.' "That's quite alright," he said, handing her the book. When she turned to leave he willed himself to say something, anything that would make her stay. He knew that they needed to live together harmoniously, not to mention make love, and there was no way that could be accomplished if her immediate impulse was to retreat to her bedroom at the prospect of spending even a moment with him.

"Please… Miss- Hermione," he stuttered, "If you would be so kind as to read aloud." He gestured toward the sofa, inviting her to take a seat.

She arched her eyebrow at him apprehensively, but didn't object. She hesitantly eased herself onto one side of the couch as he sat on the other. Severus reached for his brandy and swirled the liquid in his glass awkwardly as Hermione cleared her throat and began to read.

"Howard Roark laughed. He stood naked at the edge of a cliff. The lake lay far below him. A frozen explosion of granite burst in flight to the sky over motionless water. The water seemed immovable, the stone flowing. The stone had a stillness of one brief moment in battle when thrust meets thrust and the currents are held in a pause more dynamic than motion. The stone glowed, wet with sunrays…" Her voice shook as she read, but it wasn't just her voice that shook. It was her entire body. Whether she was cold or nervous or sincerely frightened, Severus couldn't tell.

"Come Hermione," he said gesturing for her to come nearer. She hesitated briefly before allowing him to pull her closer. He positioned himself so that one of his legs was draped comfortably on the sofa while his other was dangled over it, his foot resting on the floor. He pulled Hermione between his legs, coaxing her to lean her back against his chest. He snapped his fingers and they were wrapped in a blanket. He felt Hermione's body tense as she was brought into this position. He instinctively wrapped one of his hands around hers and empathetically stroked it with his thumb. "Please continue," he whispered.

She once again began to read. Her voice was slightly steadier. "Your Greeks took marble and they made copies of their wooden structures out of it, because others had done it that way. Then your masters of the Renaissance came along and made copies in plaster of copies in marble of copies in wood. Now here we are, making copies in concrete of copies in plaster of copies in marble of copies in wood." The way Severus stroked her hand made her feel more at ease and she let herself relax in his arms.

Severus leaned his head against the back of the sofa. As her voice became steadier it became more and more soothing… almost like a lullaby. He could feel his eye lids becoming heavy. His arms wrapped themselves around her tightly, as if she might slip away. It wasn't long before he fell asleep.

Hermione read until Severus's breathing became slow and steady. She made to get up but it was clear that the sleeping form of Severus didn't have any intention of releasing her. Sighing she folded the page over and tossed to book onto the coffee table. She settled her head against his chest and fell asleep listening to sound of his heart beat.

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Severus woke the next morning feeling more rested than he had been in ages. As light rays of sunlight peered between the dark curtains he fought the urge to wake up, wishing to be in the dreamland that felt so warm and comfortable. It wasn't long before he realized how tightly he was holding Hermione. He slowly eased his grip on her, not wanting to hurt her. It was then that he realized that his morning erection was pressed firmly into her back. He panicked. If she awoke it would be more than awkward and she might be so embarrassed that she would once again retreat to her room. However, it would be rather difficult to move without waking her.

He gently lifted Hermione and placed a pillow under her head hoping that she wouldn't notice the difference… at least for the time being. He then made for his room quickly, anxious to relieve himself.

His efforts were all in vain, however. Hermione had been awake a good fifteen minutes before Severus realized what condition he was in, but not having been in that position before she was unsure of how to proceed. Should she get up and risk Severus being insulted when he awoke to find her missing, or should she wake him up herself and cause them both unnecessary embarrassment. So she feigned sleep, hoping that Severus would awaken and save her from that predicament. She did have to admit… she was rather startled at his size. She forced these thoughts from her mind, trying not to scare herself before the wedding night.

It was about half an hour later that Severus emerged from his bedroom to find Hermione sitting up, fully alert.

"Good morning," he said. He made his way to the dark curtains and opened them letting the sunlight flow freely into the room. He opened one of the windows and inhaled the crisp clean morning air. "I don't feel much like cooking this morning. Why don't we go out to breakfast?"

Hermione gaped at him. Never in her life had she ever seen him look so… happy. "Ummm… alright. Just let me go get dressed," she said.

"Of course, my dear. There's no rush," he took he hands and helped her of the couch. Then he pressed his lips against her forehead before picking up the book they had started last night.

Hermione was shocked to say the least. She rushed upstairs and quickly pulled on a graying skirt and a white blouse. Her hair would be impossible to tame in a timely manner so she merely pulled it into a tight French braid, hoping that Severus would be satisfied with her unkempt appearance.

As she came back down stairs Severus rose to meet her. "After breakfast we should probably get you some new robes," he commented.

"That's not necessary."

"It's no trouble. I have other errands to run anyway." He took her arm and they apparated outside a small inn on the outskirts of Daigon Alley.

He put his hand on the small of her back and guided her inside. The inside of the inn was very simple but homey. There was a fireplace with a roaring fire and sweet old mismatched antique tables and chairs. A sweet old witch guided them to a small table near the fireplace. It certainly was warm, but no overly so. Severus pulled out her chair and helped her be seated before he took a seat across from her.

"Do you know what you want, Dear," the old witch asked Hermione. She took a quick look at the menu and quickly decided on French toast and hot cocoa. Severus smirked at her order before placing his own, a vegetarian omelet.

"What is it?" she asked, addressing his smirk.

"Nothing," he said shaking his head, but he couldn't help but chuckle at how young she seemed. He quickly changed the subject. "Where did you find that book from last night? I thought you said you didn't have any books?"

"Oh, I stopped by a used book store after picking up my dress yesterday. I must have dropped it when I flooed into the living room," she said.

"Well…" he hesitated. Did he dare to pay her a complement? "I'm certainly glad you did… otherwise I would have been denied that pleasant evening with you…"

Hermione blushed profusely. It wasn't long before their breakfasts arrived. Hermione began shoveling the French toast into her mouth. Severus was pleased to see that she seemed to have her appetite back. There were few things he hated more than a thin girl who wouldn't eat.

After they had finished their breakfast he escorted her to Madame Malkins. "I have a few errands to run, but I'll be back when I've finished. Under no circumstances are you to step out into the street until I come back. Do you understand?"

Hermione looked at him with irritation. He was treating her as if she were a little kid. "I can take care of myself Severus."

He sighed. "Yes I know, but you never know with Lucius…. Maybe I should go in and wait till you are finished…"

"Ughhh Severus! I'm perfectly capable with shopping by myself!"

He hesitated "… of course… I'll be back shortly."

When Hermione entered the store she was practically assaulted with color. She didn't know where to begin. Fortunately Madame Malkin herself noticed Hermione. "Well, if it isn't the future Mrs. Snape! Come right over here and I'll help you with whatever you need."

Madame Malkin was an expert in her field. She knew exactly what colors would complement Hermione's skin tones, what styles were best for her body type and by looking at her current outfit she knew that Hermione was in desperate need of an entirely new wardrobe. She was also familiar enough with Professor Snape to know how much he would be willing to spend on his darling little fiancée.

"These are simply lovely on you," Madame Malkin exclaimed pinning the sleeve on a set of lovely blue robes. "They make you look so feminine. Your husband to be will just love you in them."

Hermione glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were red and her hair was trying to escape from her braid, but she definitely didn't look to be the sad lifeless girl that she had been a mere week ago. She smiled at herself.

"I'd have to disagree with Madame Malkin," a sarcastic voice said from behind her. Hermione looked behind her own reflection and saw the cruel smile of Lucius Malfloy. Hermione spun around to face him. "I doubt Severus has every appreciated any color besides black."

Madame Malkin quickly remembered this and slipped into the back to retrieve a bolt of black fabric. Hermione quickly scanned the rest of the store, but found that it was only her and Lucius.

"I on the other hand," Lucius said approaching her, "I have always loved blue…" He took her hand in his and then pressed his lips to it. "You are looking well Miss Granger." He smirked at her. "Where is your betrothed?"

"He… he will be right back," Hermione stammered backing up against the mirror.

"Ahhh…" he said following her. He pressed himself against her. "Mark my words, Miss Granger, you will regret not choosing me. Of course, making fornicating with that miserable man would be punishment enough… but that would give me no pleasure." He placed his hands at either side of her head and lowered his mouth to her ear. "Just you wait," he whispered then gently nipped at her earlobe.

Hermione trembled. A moment later she heard the tinkling of the bell that rings when a customer enters a shop. Lucius looked up and there was Severus, a look of cold hard fury etched on his face.

"Hello Severus," Lucius hissed. "I was just getting to know your darling little fiancée here." He move away from Hermione allowing her room to move away from the wall.

Madame Malkin came into the room before Severus had a chance to say anything. "Ahhh! Mr. Snape! I have Hermione outfitted in all the latest fashions. Would you like them to be delivered to your home later this evening?"

"Yes," he said stoically. "Come Hermione. Get dressed. We must be leaving." As soon as Hermione was in her normal attire Severus grasped her arm forcefully and led her out of the shop.

Once they had apparated home he shoved Hermione in the direction of the sofa and he poured himself a brandy.

"Severus…" Hermione started.

He glared at her with such anger that she wasn't able to finish her sentence. "Don't start with me Hermione. I am simply not in the mood!"

Hermione felt the blood creep into her face as her anger started to build. "Severus Snape!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "I will not be spoken to that way! I am not a child!"

He gritted his teeth. Hermione was sure that his anger was seconds from spilling over. She waited but it didn't come. Finally, Snape sighed in anger. He downed the brandy and then joined her on the couch.

He folded his arms over his chest, looking much like a sulking teenager. It was probably only minutes but it seemed like years before he finally spoke. "Hermione, before we get married I probably need to tell you something…"

_Haha. Its not as shocking as you would think but I love to leave my stories on cliff hangers! Thanx guys for all the comments. It makes me happy. Oh and those clips are really from The Foutainhead. Its an amazing book. Every one should read it. _


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